


Madness

by Isailaway



Category: Death in Paradise
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-05
Updated: 2013-12-17
Packaged: 2018-01-03 13:40:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1071109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isailaway/pseuds/Isailaway
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Catherine is in the Bar and decides to nudge fate along........</p><p>This overlaps with both “Believe in me” and “It’s just a Silly Phase” so it would be prudent to read those first although it will probably stand-alone too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The restaurant was buzzing. Filled with holidaymakers and locals alike, sharing drinks, eating snacks, chatting loudly across tables, or more quietly into their companions ears to make themselves heard over the music which pulsed rhythmically around the cosily lit haven. 

Catherine balanced the two plates expertly, gathering a collection of wine and water glasses between the fingers of her other hand and smiled at the young couple seated before her. A honeymoon couple, probably from the UK; she could spot them a mile off without them uttering a word. 

Weaving between the tables, her eyes explored the room alighting on her daughter, tucked quietly in a corner and staring miserably into the glass she cradled in her hand, as if she were trying to read her fortune from the sediment in the red wine.

Ah her precious child.

Her beautiful girl was suffering and it had all the classic hallmarks of love. 

Through her teenage years, Camille had been blessed with her outgoing, confident yet relaxed personality and a clear skin; Catherine couldn’t remember even the hint of a gawky stage and that wasn’t a mother’s bias. As such, she had had many suitors. Few had truly touched her heart and she hadn’t fallen often but the times she had, she had fallen hard. Weeks of silent, morose contemplation, with no outward crying or wailing which might have been more expected and easier for Catherine to deal with. Merely a lack of vivacity and sparkle mixed up with the occasional rant about a boy – the boy- she had argued with.

It was a recognisable enough pattern that Catherine felt; with some trepidation it was true, that she knew who had stolen her daughters heart.

What to do about it if her suspicions were correct? Probably staying well out of it was the best policy, even if she wanted to shake the man in question and tell him to wake up. What did he think? Were her daughter’s feelings reciprocated? Catherine allowed herself a gruff laugh. They might well be if he allowed himself to look up from his work for more than a few minutes. But the poor man was so buttoned up; she failed to see how he would ever let anything happen. Camille would have to be sure, and confident and the one making all the moves if she was going to get him to open up.

Bumping the swing doors open with one hip, Catherine handed her load to the young lad she had hired recently to wash dishes. Hard working, keen to better himself and reasonably presentable, she was glad she had taken the chance on him rather than her usual policy of only working with teenagers from families known to her. 

He grinned at her, placing the plates and glasses to one side of the sink, then grimaced, nodding towards the speakers he could just see the edge of, mounted on the wall behind Catherine. 

“Got any better music?”

She hadn’t been paying much attention but as she tuned in, she caught the chorus of a familiar song. It had been played a lot recently on the radio. In fact now that she thought about it, she had definitely noticed Camille being affected by it a few times. She didn’t know the British song well enough to know its lyrics, and certainly couldn’t make them out now, over the ambient noise of the room but perhaps Camille had found something in the song that called to her. Well signs from the Gods could come from the most unlikely quarter. Catherine smiled a wry smile; only as unlikely as the choice of suitor she supposed.

“I’ll have a look for you.” Catherine acknowledged the boys question and wandered over to check the song order on her iPod.

La Kaz had only recently plunged into the twenty first century when Camille had bought an iPod as a birthday present for her mother, and had then brought along a technically adept handyman who had shown them the wires they required to connect it to the current speaker system without rewiring the whole place. Her daughter had filled the small device with playlist after playlist of music, about 1200 hours in all and in a wide variety of styles. She was just getting to grips with how to pick and choose what she and the customers would prefer to hear. The radio still tended to chat to anyone who wanted to listen during the day but increasingly in the evenings she would choose one of the playlists and simply let it shuffle itself around as it wished to.

Leant forward, elbows resting on the wooden bar top Catherine flicked forwards through the songs as Camille had taught her to do. The previous song had finished now, a livelier jovial beat filling the room. 

_“Madness, madness, they call it madness…”_

Catherine skimmed a look over her shoulder and almost laughed out loud, disguising the sudden burst with a cough. 

Unbeknown to her, Richard had slipped quietly in to the bar and he and her daughter were engaged in some sort of silent war of gazes. If ever she had needed confirmation that he was the man in question then this was it. 

Catherine looked back to Richard curiously. If you spent any time at all watching him; which she hadn’t particularly up to now then the eyes said it all. The man was smitten. 

Whether he knew what to do about it or would act upon it even if he did was a moot point but maybe if she gave him a big shove or encouraging hand. Now she knew of Camille’s affections and felt confident they might be returned then they ought to be sent a sign. The Gods couldn’t do it all themselves after all.

_“Madness, madness, they call it madness…”_

Indeed it was madness but this wouldn’t do. Catherine had an idea.

One more look at her daughter revealed her slow rise to standing and hesitant movement towards the man effectively pinned to his bar stool at the opposite end of the restaurant. She dismissed the pair with a roll of her eyes and a choice muttered word or two. They definitely needed her help. 

Flicking through songs, a few unsuitable ones were followed by a couple that she couldn’t call to mind at all. She didn’t have time to play through reams of tracks, no matter how slowly they were approaching one another. 

“Love to love you baby”…..ah Donna Summer. Catherine hummed a couple of lines then smiled and shook her head continuing to scroll through the list of tunes. Richard would turn and run if he heard the soft moaning that ran through the track. It would certainly make him too uncomfortable to broach anything of a personal nature in her opinion. 

She hovered over “Why do fools fall in love” then dismissed it. It was a lovely catchy song but he didn’t need any encouragement to feel foolish over his emotions.

She passed over “Tie up my hands” by Star Sailor – not quite right for this moment, and Weeping Willow” by The Verve – they might not hear the lyrics in the busy bar and then skipped past “You’re the one that I want and “We go together” from the musical Grease. What on earth had Camille put on here?

As Prince Buster hit his chorus line once more, Abbas “Take a Chance on me” popped up. Surely too cheesy? Catherine thought before moving on. Why hadn’t she known about this yesterday? Then she could have planned properly and found the perfect song. 

It was tempting to put the music back on shuffle, turn around and hide in the kitchen until they had met, talked (or not) and let fate take its course. It was also appealing to march across and knock their heads together. Even to simply interrupt and put off the whole scene that was playing out in front of her till another day, a day when she was far away and out of sight. She enjoyed having a close relationship with Camille but this was bordering on the edge of voyeuristic and made her uncomfortable. 

And then she saw it. 

The song. 

It was neither too deep and heavy or light and poppy. It built to a crescendo nicely and would fill the room with joy. The words were not too numerous, they were distinct and surely even Richard would have heard it at some point in his life. It was catchy and fluffy and glorious. 

As Camille finally made her way around another table and stopped, a foot away from her boss, Catherine hit play, turned up the volume and crossed her fingers. 

She hoped she was right.


	2. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So R&C are in the same building and Catherine is on the case.........

Richard was terrified. 

Heart pounding, the urge to run was almost overpowering. If only he could get his legs to move. Instead they appeared to have given up all pretense of usefulness and without the support of his elbows on the bar behind him, he would no doubt be in a messy heap on the floor. 

It was all too much. Unused to the volume of emotion swelling within him, and the lack of control over it, the nauseous feeling he had been experiencing back at the station returned to taunt him, swirling in his stomach. He wanted to rub his forehead, an old habit, deeply ingrained but his legs were continuing to register nothing so the anchor of his arms remained necessary. 

Across the room Camille retained a steady eye contact as she painfully slowly wove her way around a maze of tables and people. 

Not ten minutes ago he had been sat in his office realising he loved the woman moving inexorably towards him. He had been so blind, so used to tamping down on any uncomfortable feeling, had perfected the technique of analysing cases in depth and all day long to avoid his brain turning its talents inwardly. It had taken a song, a daft old pop song, though admittedly tuneful, to enlighten him and all he had wanted was some space to come to terms with this knowledge. He ignored the little voice of reason asking him why he had chosen to enter the bar if that was the case. She was here, alone, and looking at him like. Well like…….

And it didn’t make sense. It was all too much. 

.........................................

Stay, trust me, don’t go. Camille chanted in her head, holding his eyes prisoner with hers. Edging around crowded tables excruciatingly slowly, she refused to look down, acknowledge acquaintances or apologise for shifting people for fear of him disappearing when released from her gaze. Let them wonder. Let them gossip, she didn’t care. 

Richard, she was aware, looked spooked. He looked in possession of some new facts that he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. Did he realise she was scared too? That she understood the cost of falling for someone so close to home so intertwined with day-to-day life that the stakes were higher. And failure meant a big fallout whichever way you looked at it. But in her world not to try would be far worse. Life and love were precious and if she made it across the room without him bolting then she would tell him exactly that. 

Her earlier moroseness cast aside along with the frankly insane idea she had had moments ago of being happy with mere friendship, she focused on one step at a time and not letting the man ahead of her run.

........................................

Richard was vaguely conscious that Bonnie Tyler’s throaty warbling had finished soon after he had arrived at Catherine’s bar and that a song of a different beat entirely had begun. His senses were heightened, his skin flushed, the soles of his feet picking up the vibrations of the drumbeat running through the room. 

“Madness, madness, they call it madness.” Despite his total focus on Camille, the words registered on his brain and his heart skipped a beat. That’s what they would say. What everyone would say. 

The rational portion of his brain quietly reminded him of the political nature of the song meaning it was totally impossible for even the most emotional of people to link it with him but he wasn’t feeling terribly rational right now. 

Camille stepped beneath a pool of light, bringing her features into sharp focus and Richard widened his eyes. She was getting closer and he still had no ideas what to say. How to start a conversation with his head as full as it was? If only the phone would ring with a new case to solve. He’d know what to do then, how to communicate.

......................................

Camille watched Richards eyes dilate as she neared and smiled reassuringly. If she was another table closer she was fairly sure she would vault it to physically stop him making a move to the door. His whole demeanor had given her encouragement. And a bit of encouragement was all she had required. Had been the only thing lacking since the night of the hurricane. The night when she had taken a step forward and he had……even with the excuse of a head injury, had seemingly turned her down flat. 

.....................................

Richard opened and closed his mouth a few times. There were no words. She was two feet away from him with no more bodies or furniture to negotiate and he was an idiot, incapable of speech or movement. 

And then he heard it. The short introductory chords were lost but the first nine words sung struck him square in the chest. Clearly heard thanks to a suddenly amplified volume. 

_“Love is in the air, everywhere I look around.”_

Now he heard the soft percussion. He noticed Camille’s surprise that must be mirrored on his own face and perceived a collective rumble of pleasure ripple around the room as others recognised the song. 

_“Love is in the air, every sight and every sound.”_

Unexpectedly he began to laugh.

......................................

Really Maman? Camille’s mouth dropped open as she discerned the track. At any other time she would be scanning the room to find her mother and glare at her but she couldn’t break away from the play of emotions crossing Richards face. His frown turned into a smile, and then a laugh and her stomach flipped. 

......................................

 

_“And I don’t know if I’m being foolish,_   
_Don’t know if I’m being wise,_   
_But it’s something that I must believe in,_   
_And it’s there when I look in your eyes.”_

“Hi.” She smiled at him. 

The rhythm built, like a train gathering pace, like the beat of his heart. He pushed himself away from the bar, took a step forward and stood tall in front of his crazily beautiful colleague and friend and …… 

“Hi,” he grinned back. 

This was insane, and inappropriate and a million more descriptive words but…… Could he really be admitting there was a but, and an and. That there were reasons he wasn’t running?

_“Love is in the air, in the whisper of the trees,_   
_Love is in the air, in the thunder of the sea,_   
_And I don’t know if I am just dreaming,_   
_Don’t know if I feel sane,_   
_But it’s something that I must believe in,_   
_And it’s there when you call out my name."_

I’d ask you to dance but….” Camille gestured at the growing number of people rising to the catchy tune. 

“But you made me go weak at the knees.” He flushed as the words fell off his tongue without his brain engaging, dropping his gaze to the floor.

“That…..” She seemed to be having difficulty replying to him. “No-one has said anything as beautiful as that to me before.”

“Really?” Richard looked back up in total disbelief to see Camille sporting a similar colour on her cheeks. 

“Yes Richard, really.” 

“Ok.”

“So?” 

“I meant it you know,” he blurted quickly.

Camille reached out, taking hold of his hand in hers and squeezing gently. “I know you did.”

She had touched him before, had tucked her arm in his on occasion or had brushed dirt off his face or jacket when the need had arisen but never in this tender yet purposeful way. It felt innocent and intimate all at the same time; virgin territory. He smoothed his thumb across her knuckles, caressing the soft undulations. 

_“Love is in the air, in the rising of the sun,_   
_Love is in the air, when the day is nearly done,_   
_And I don’t know if you’re an illusion,_   
_Don’t know if I see it true,_   
_But you’re something that I must believe in,_   
_And you’re there when I reach out for you.”_

Richard took a deep breath. “I don’t know if you would consider…..”

“Yes”

He had been concentrating on their joined hands but lifted his gaze to meet hers once more. 

“You don’t know what I was going to say.”

“You were going to invite me on a date.” Her stare was provocative, daring him to deny it.

“Ah, Ok.” He acknowledged the truth of her words with a nod and gruff clearing of his throat. “So?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

“Really?” Richard echoed his earlier disbelief.

Camille threw her head back and laughed. Joyfully, infectiously, and he thought his heart might burst. 

...........................................

From her position in the shadows at the back of the bar, Catherine could just make out her daughter and the Detective Inspector of Honore Police if she stood on her tiptoes. Holding hands and lost in a world of their own, they were oblivious to the room swaying around them. 

She clapped her hands gleefully and wondered what the next song on the playlist ought to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Love is in the Air....John Paul Young.
> 
> This ended up being a total cheese fest - for which I make no apologies....it's Christmas!!
> 
> I love this song and can't believe it took me so long to consider it for R&C. It's fluffy and catchy and cheesy and makes me smile every single time I hear it. I hope it brightens your day too. The version I like listening to the most is on iTunes and is the version they re-released for Strictly Ballroom in the early 90's.
> 
> Please tell me if you think I got it wrong, or right, or anything in between!
> 
> Seasons Greetings to all. XX

**Author's Note:**

> I'm only posting this here due to the minor use of lyrics. Thanks to all who gave me ideas for songs for Richard and Camille. I was so indecisive that I ended up writing a fic about it!!! 
> 
> I realise Prince Busters song has a different meaning to it but I like the beat and the chorus lines are indeed what Catherine would think IMO!
> 
> Hope you like it – I reckon there is one more to come in this series.


End file.
